Position Information
Employer
Environmental Leadership Program
Division
RAY Conservation Diversity Fellowship
Title
RAY Energy Efficiency Diversity Fellow
Description
POSITION TITLE: RAY Energy Efficiency Diversity Fellow
DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: Local Policy Program
REPORTS TO: Lauren Ross, Director
STATUS: Regular, Full-Time
LOCATION: Washington, DC
ABOUT THE ROGER ARLINER YOUNG CONSERVATION DIVERSITY FELLOWSHIP
Inspired by efforts to increase racial diversity in conservation, the Roger Arliner Young (RAY) Conservation Diversity Fellowship Program aims to increase and facilitate conservation-related career pathways for emerging leaders of color. The RAY Fellowship Program is a paid fellowship designed to equip recent college graduates with the tools, experiences, support, and community they need to become leaders in the conservation sector—one that, in our visions of the future, fully represents, includes, and is led by the diverse communities, perspectives, and experiences of the United States.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT ECONOMY
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization, acts as a catalyst to advance energy efficiency policies, programs, technologies, investments, and behaviors. We believe that the United States can harness the full potential of energy efficiency to achieve greater economic prosperity, energy security, and environmental protection for all its people. ACEEE carries out its mission by:
- Conducting in-depth technical and policy analyses
- Advising policymakers and program managers
- Working collaboratively with businesses, government officials, public interest groups, and other organizations
- Convening conferences and workshops, primarily for energy efficiency professionals
- Assisting and encouraging media to cover energy efficiency policy and technology issues
- Educating consumers and businesses through our reports, conference proceedings, press activities, and websites
ACEEE was founded in 1980 by leading researchers in the energy field. Since then we have grown to a staff of about 60. Projects are carried out by ACEEE staff and collaborators from government, the private sector, research institutions, and other nonprofit organizations. ACEEE focuses on these program areas:
- Energy policy (federal, state, and local)
- Research (including programs on buildings and equipment, utilities, industry, agriculture, transportation, behavior, economic analysis, and international)
- Outreach (including conferences, publications, and the Ally Program)
ACEEE’s organizational culture is collaborative and team-oriented with a strong commitment to its mission. Staff work at an energetic pace within a dynamic and entrepreneurial environment with an emphasis on professional growth and development. There is a high degree of workplace flexibility, with an emphasis on results, making ACEEE an enjoyable and fulfilling place to work.
LOCAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY POLICY PROGRAM
The Local Policy Program provides research and outreach to promote excellence in energy efficiency policies and programs. ACEEE helps local leaders and other organizations identify energy efficiency opportunities and design state-of-the-art policies and programs to capture this potential. ACEEE also helps local policymakers understand the ways in which they can embed equity into their policies and programs by engaging communities traditionally under-resourced, including communities of color and low-income communities. This program focuses on local policy, and energy efficiency programs as a utility system resource.
POSITION SUMMARY
The fellow will be a member of ACEEE’s Local Policy Program, providing research, outreach, and some administrative support. The fellow’s main focus will be in contributing to the program’s project on workforce development. The fellow will work with a senior researcher and senior research analyst to build upon lessons learned from a 2018 ACEEE report, Through the Local Government Lens: Developing the Energy Efficiency Workforce. This position will support data collection and outreach efforts related to local government-administered workforce development programs or programs run in partnership with local governments. The fellow will have an opportunity to engage local government staff directly in structured conference calls and webinars. The individual in this position will gain an understanding of local policies and programs to create a more equitable and diverse energy efficiency workforce. By doing so, the fellow will contribute to a project highlighting the ways in which energy efficiency’s benefits can be extended to under-resourced community members that have not traditionally reaped the full benefits of energy efficiency. The fellow may also contribute to other local policy work, including the annual City Clean Energy Scorecard.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Participate in and support a learning group composed of local government staff interested in workforce development for energy efficiency by doing the following:
- Assist in preparing for sessions by conducting policy research and contributing content to presentations
- Participate in sessions, synthesize notes and action items, and share notes with attendees
- Co-author a workforce development-related publication by doing the following:
- Conduct research (via a literature review and potentially phone interviews) on notable energy efficiency workforce development programs run by local governments or in conjunction with local governments
- Work with ACEEE senior staff to analyze research findings
- Write up research findings and contribute to a fact sheet, paper, or report to be published
- Work in concert with other ACEEE staff to maintain our relationships with partner organizations involved in workforce development and seek out new partners to engage.
- Assist with other research efforts related to local energy efficiency policy on an as-needed basis, including research assistance on the City Clean Energy Scorecard.
ADDITIONAL FELLOWSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES
In addition to the responsibilities at the host institution outlined above, RAY Fellows will spend, on average, 2-4 hours per week (5-10% of work time) on the following:
- Actively communicating and building community with their RAY Fellow cohort and previous RAY Fellows.
- Attending monthly check-ins calls (including 1-on-1 check-ins with RAY program staff and group calls with their RAY Fellow cohort).
- Meeting regularly with mentors both inside and outside the host institution.
- Attending monthly professional development webinars, trainings, and other opportunities to build knowledge and skills.
- Developing a Personal Leadership Plan (PLP) with the support of supervisor(s), mentors, RAY program staff, and their RAY Fellow cohort. The PLP will serve as a tool for self-reflection, planning, and assessing progress towards professional, personal, and leadership goals.
- Preparing and leading an hour-long end-of-year webinar highlighting their Fellowship experience.
RAY Fellows will also attend:
- A 3-day Orientation Retreat in August 2019.
- A 3-day Leadership Retreat in February 2020.
- At least one other in-person training or workshop with their RAY Fellow cohort.
APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY
Eligible RAY Fellow applicants will:
- Come from a racial / ethnic background underrepresented in conservation and demonstrate a commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Be less than 2 years out of college and have a Bachelor’s Degree by July 2019 (we are not considering individuals with graduate degrees at this time).
- Have not had a full-time job in conservation.
- Have the ability to work in the United States and commit to the entire fellowship.
SKILLS / QUALIFICATIONS / EXPERIENCE
- A college degree by the time of employment
- An interest in the fields of energy efficiency and local policy
- Demonstrated intellect and leadership
- Effective written and verbal communication skills
- An eagerness to learn
- Strong attention to detail
- Strong interest in working in spreadsheets to analyze data
- Highly motivated, self-starter
- Organizational and project coordination skills
TERM / LENGTH OF ASSIGNMENT
This is a one-year, full-time fellowship starting on or after July 15, 2019.
COMPENSATION
The fellowship is compensated and sponsored by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, which offers a competitive benefits package, which includes health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance coverage; a 403(b) retirement plan; transportation and bike share benefits; three weeks of vacation in the first year and four weeks thereafter, as well as an excellent training program and professional development opportunities. The starting salary for this position is $40,000, with employees being paid monthly.
HOW TO APPLY / APPLICATION
To apply for the RAY Fellowship Program, applicants must:
- Complete the online application survey on the RAY Fellowship Program website: https://rayconservationfellows.org/apply.
- Follow the instructions on the linked application webpage to submit a curriculum vitae or a resume, two essay and one short answer responses, and a letter of support.
Applications must be submitted to the RAY Fellowship Program no later than April 15, 2019. Transcripts and additional writing samples are not required. Questions about the application process can be submitted to the RAY Program Manager, Jordan Williams, via email at apply@rayconservationfellows.org.
ACEEE is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, creed, handicap, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status. ACEEE is continually seeking to diversify its staff, particularly to broaden opportunities for individuals from demographic groups that are historically underrepresented in the sciences and in environmental advocacy.